The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and, more particularly, to an image processing apparatus applicable to a multi-media copying machine with which multiple recording media are usable.
A recent achievement in the realm of imaging art is a multi-media copying machine having not only the capability of reproducing image data of an original document on a paper, which is the major capability of an ordinary digital copier, but also the capability of copying image data recorded on one of a paper and another kind of recording medium such as a floppy disk. With this type of copier, it is possible to store images (including characters) which are read from an original document by a scanner in, for example, a floppy disk and reproduce them on any desired number of papers as needed and to allow such a floppy disk to be used with another copier for reproducing the image data on papers. Another possibility is reproducing data recorded by a different kind of data processing equipment (e.g. computer, word processor or work station) by using the copier.
However, in a work station or any other system of similar level, the amount of raster image data read from an original document by a scanner is often too large to be accommodated in a floppy disk, as understood from the fact that such data are usually stored in a mass storage such as a magnetic tape or an optical file. Even with a copier, if a great number of documents are stored in a floppy disk to be printed out on papers as needed, it is possible to make the most of the functions of a multi-media copier. However, the capacity of a single floppy disk available at the present stage of technology is not great enough to accommodate raster images which are read from a document. Furthermore, in the case that such a multi-media copier is operated to reproduce data stored in a floppy disk on a paper, a prerequisite is that the interval between the instant of insertion of a floppy disk and the instant of print-out be as short as possible to enhance efficient operations.